I used to Bon AppetitFrequent trips from my desk on the editing floor to the test kitchen allow me to soak up the knowledge of better chefs than me, even if just by watching.
When professionals are developing recipes, they use spoons as much as they use kitchen towels to dry their hands. Any old model will do, but the Kunz tasting spoons, slightly larger than those that come with typical dishes, reigned supreme. And, I learned, they were used not only there, but in restaurant kitchens all over the United States. I was inspired and bought one. Unfortunately, it mostly stayed in a drawer. I never felt the need to take it out. I attributed it to my status as a home cook and got rid of it when I moved.
Then, a few years ago, I was gifted something similar: a tasting spoon from a recently launched brand called Gestura. I have no intention of criticizing something as classic and revered as Kunz, but this spoon So Its thoughtful design has led me to instinctively use it every time I cook. It's become one of my most used tools and sits on my countertop where it's easy to reach.
The spoon is left on the counter.
Photo: Emma Wortzman
The Gestura holds exactly one tablespoon. I still get out my measuring spoon set when baking, but when I want to eyeball a sauce or dressing, or measure how much olive oil to put in a frying pan, the Gestura is my friend. (By comparison, the Kunz holds 2.5 tablespoons, which I find less useful.) It's also wider, which makes it easier to scoop up food and keep it balanced when you bring it to your mouth, which is especially important when you're scooping up hot liquids like soup or stew. (If you've ever done that with a regular spoon, you know how easy it is to accidentally tip and spill.) It's also pretty shallow, which makes it the perfect shape for spreading butter on a steak or olive oil on a crispy fried egg.
Its thin rim skims bubbles out of soups and grease from the surface of stews more neatly than any other utensil I've ever used. The rim tapers to a tip, creating a guide point for evenly drizzling salsa verde on a whole fish or diluted tahini on a pita wrap. The point also makes it easier to reach the corners of pots and pans. The handle is long and elegant.
I use the Gestura spoon to mix ingredients (like chopping veggies before roasting) along with the slotted spoon for more vigorous mixing, like when making a large leafy green salad. Two of these spoons, or even just one, make a great serving tool; I put it out as a garnish when I have guests over and almost every night when I'm making dinner for a family of two (wooden spoons tend to be too big for our portions and regular spoons are too small).
This spoon can be put in the dishwasher, but in my kitchen I never even put it in the dishwasher – I just lather it up by hand and rinse it because I know I'll want to use it sooner than I can run the dishwasher.
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